A Return To The 'Fightin' 5th'? Democrats To Pick A Candidate For Esty's Congressional Seat

Former Simsbury First Selectman Mary Glassman, shown here in this 2014 file photo, is among the candidates seeking the Democratic endorsement for Congress in the 5th District. (Hartford Courant file photo)

Tonight's Democratic nominating convention in Connecticut's 5th Congressional District was expected to be a perfunctory gathering to crown three-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty.

Instead, the convention at Waterbury's Crosby High School could become a knockdown, drag-out battle, rekindling the district's reputation as "the Fightin' 5th."

Advertisement

Esty's announcement less than two months ago that she would not to seek re-election — following criticism for mishandling sexual harassment complaints against her former chief of staff — has sparked a spate of interest in the open seat: At least five Democrats are expected to vie for the party's endorsement. Republicans on Friday endorsed former Meriden Mayor Manny Santos, although two other GOP contenders, Ruby O'Neill of Southbury and Rich DuPont of Watertown, have qualified for the August primary.

"This is a key race, both in Connecticut and nationally,'' said Eric Paradis, chairman of the Newtown Democratic Town Committee. "As Democrats, we definitely want to make sure another Democrat takes this seat."

The 5th District is the state's second largest. It includes the old urban centers of Waterbury, New Britain and Meriden, along with the hill towns of Litchfield County and the Farmington Valley suburbs.

The district hasn't seen a race this competitve since 2012, when former Connecticut House Speaker Chris Donovan won the endorsement at the convention only to lose the primary to Esty following a campaign financing scandal.

"I have high praise for all the candidates who are running, especially with such a short time frame,'' said Kenny Curran, the chairman of the Democratic town committee in Waterbury. "It's remarkable that we have such a good quality field.''

Democrats have never nominated a person of color for [the 5th District], so to have two serious candidates of color in the mix is great.

Kenny Curran, chairman of the Waterbury Democratic Town Committee

Share quote & link

Curran is backing Jahana Hayes, a first-time candidate from Wolcott with an impressive resume and a compelling life story. Hayes, who grew up in public housing in Waterbury, was named national teacher of the year in 2016.

"She's a very unique candidate and that's what people are looking for this year,'' Curran said.

Hayes' emergence comes after several high-profile recruits on both sides of the aisle have passed on the race, including Nicole Hockley and Mark Barden, two nationally-known gun control activists who both lost children in the Sandy Hook school shootings and were urged by national Democrats to run. Over the weekend, Democrat Bill Curry, the former state comptroller and a former adviser to President Bill Clinton, also announced on his Facebook page that he was opting out of the race.

Hayes faces competition from former Simsbury First Selectman Mary Glassman and New Britain Alderman Manny Sanchez. Several other Democrats, including Shaul Praver, a rabbi who lives in Fairfield, which is outside of the district, are also making a run.

Glassman has already raised more than $100,000 in her first 10 days of fundraising. Amy McLean Salls, the chairman of the Democratic town committee in Simsbury, said Glassman has the political skills and the governing experience to handle the demands of serving in Congress.

McLean Salls said Glassman knows how to work across the aisle with Republicans, but as a Democrat in President Donald Trump's Washington, "she knows we can't back down from the real fights we need to have.''

Supporters of Manny Sanchez said he has that same fighting spirit. Although he's only 29, Sanchez has already racked up more than a decade of political experience, said Bill Shortell, chairman of the New Britain Democratic Town Committee.

"New Britain politics are fierce,'' Shortell said. "Manny is a seasoned fighter against Republicans and he's the only candidate who had to fight them in an urban environment … he had to constantly be standing up to positions we considered not [supportive] of working people."

Curran noted that Sanchez is Latino and African American and Hayes is African American. "Democrats have never nominated a person of color for [the 5th District], so to have two serious candidates of color in the mix is great,'' he said. "It's really great to see that kind of diversity.''

Advertisement

The only African-American to represent Connecticut in Congress was Gary Franks, a Republican from Waterbury who served three terms in the 1990s.

McLean Salls said Glassman's image as "a white suburban lady from Simsbury" does not accurately capture who she is.

"She's from New Britain originally and her mom was a single mom. She grew up on government help,'' McLean Salls said. "She's fought for everything she has.''